Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-15

would have justified all this; she would never
have done it had she thought she was going
to live; but now death had cheated her. us he
has u way of doing with people to whom his
presence is more or less desirable, and left her
to cope with the spirit she had invoked when
his sword was quivering over her
What would be the end of it, supposing
they escaped What could he the end ex-
cept mserys 1t should go no further, far as
it had gone, that she swore; no, not if it
broke her heart and his too. The conditions
were altered again, and the memory of those
dreadful and wonderful hours when they two
swung upon the raging river and exchanged
their undying troth, with the grave for their
altar, must be a memory and nothing more.
She rose and walked back to the spot where
she had left John an hour before He was
employed when she reached him in saddling
up the second of the two grays with the sad
dies and brides that he had removed from
the carcasses of the horses which the light
ming had destroyed.
"IIullo, jess, you look quite smart. Have
you dried your clothes" he said. 81 have
after a fashion,
"NeS, she answered.
He looked at her "Why, dearest, you
have been crying. Come, things are black
enough, but it is no use crying. At any rate,
we have got off with our lives so far"
"John," said jess, sharply, "there must be
no more of that. Things have changed We
were dead last night; now we have come to
life again. Besides she added, with ghost
of a laugh, perhaps you will see Bessie to-
morrow. | should think we ought to have
got to the end of our misfortunes."
Johns face fell, us the recollection of the
impossible and most tragic position in which
they were placed, physically and morally,
swept into his mind.
"My dearest Jess" he said, "what is to be
done"
She stamped her foot, in the bitter anguish
Of her heart. IL told you,' she said, that
there must be no more of that. What are
you thinking aboutl From to-day We are
dead to each other | have done with you
and you with me- 1t is your own fault; YOU
should have let me die. Oh, John, John"
she walled out, "wby did you not let me die:
Why did we not both diei We should have
been happy now, or-asleep. We must part,
John, we must part and what shall | do
without youl what shall | do!'
Her distress was very poignant, and it
affected him so much for moment he could
not trust himself to answer her.
"Woud it not be best to make n clean breast
blackboard for the rest of my life, but upon
my word have mind to do it.
mo, mol" she cried passionately II will not
have you do it! You shall swear to me that
you will never breathe word to Bessie. l
will not have her happiness destroyed. We
have Sinned, we must suffer; not Bessie, who
is innocent and only takes her right prom
iscd my dear mother to look after Bessie and
protect her, and will not De the one to betray
her-never! never! You must marry her and
/ must 90 away. There is no other way out
of it
John looked at her, not knowing what to
say or do. A sharp pang of despair went
through him as he watched the passionate,
pale face and the great eyes dim with tears
How was he to part from her! He put out
his arms to take her in Them but she pushed
him away almost fiercelv.
"Have YOU no honorl' she cried as it not
all hard enough to bear without your tempt
ing me! | tell you it is all done with. Finish
saddling that horse and let us start Tho
sooner we get off the sooner it will be over,
unless the Beers catch us again and shoot us,
which for my own part ] devoutly hope the =
may. You must make up your mind to re
member that am nothing but your sister in
law If you will not remember il, then
shall ride away and leave you to so your
way and | will go mine"
John said no more. Her determination
was as crushing as the cruel necessity that
dictated it, What was more, his own reason
and sense of honor approved of it, whatever
his passion might prompt to the contrary.
As he turned YEARLY to finish saddling the
horse he almost regretted with jess that they
had not both been drowned and got it over.
OF course the only saddles that they had
were those belonging to the dead Beers,
which was very awkward for lady. Luck
| lily for herself, however, Jess could, from
constant practice, ride almost well as
though she had been trained to the ring, and
was even capable of balancing herself with
out pommel on a mans saddle, having
| often and often ridden round the farm in
that way. So soon rs the horses were ready
she astonished John by clambering into the
saddle of the older and steadier animal, plar,
ing her foot in the stirrup strap and announc-
ing that she was ready to start.
"You had better ride some other way, '
said John. st isn't usual, know, but you
will tumble off,
| "You shall see" she said, with q little
laugh, putting the horse into canter as she
spoke. John followed her on the other horse,
and noted with anazement that she sat IA
straight and steady Oh her slippery seat as
though she We're on a hunting saddle, keeping
| herself from falling 10y an instructive balanc-
ing of the body which was very curious To
notice. When they got well on to the plain
they halted to consider their route, and as
they did so jess pointed to the long line of
vultures descending to feast on their would
be murderers. If they went down the river
it would lead them to Standerton and there
they would be safe if they could got into the
town, which was garrisoned by English. But
them as they gathered from the conversation
of their escort, Standerton was closely ill.,
vested by the Beers, and to try and pass
through their lines was more than they dared
to do 1t was true that they still had the
pass signed by the Boer general, but after
what had occurred they were not unnaturally
somewhat skeptical about the value of passes,
and certainly unwilling to put their efficacy
to the proof. SO, after due consideration,
they determined TO avoid Standerton and
ride in the opposite direction till they found
n practicable ford Of the Naal. Fortunately